Carly Gray Olson just started to crawl last week. Her first teeth came in, too. These are the sweet moments that take most of Amy Olson’s focus these days, which is why the LPGA veteran announced on social media Wednesday that she wouldn’t be coming back from maternity leave.
Olson’s last event was the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, where she played seven months pregnant.
“I knew that once I had kids I wanted to be home,” Olson told Golfweek. “That was a huge desire of my heart.
“Even when (husband) Grant and I were dating, years ago, we talked about how I wanted to play for 10 years, that was my goal, and then I wanted to shift homeward and focus on family.”
Olson, 31, joined the LPGA in 2014 after winning an NCAA record-tying 20 titles at North Dakota State University, eclipsing the mark of 17 set by Juli Inkster.
Looking back, Olson said winning the 2009 U.S. Girls’ Junior gave her a huge confidence boost as did qualifying for the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open while in college and holding the first-round lead at The Broadmoor. The eventual winner that week, So Yeon Ryu, retired after last week’s Chevron Championship.
(1/4) What. A. Ride. My journey in professional golf is officially ending. Call it quitting, retirement, a VERY extended maternity leave 🤷🏼♀️ …I am turning the page to the next chapter in my life. I couldn’t be more thankful for the places God took me through this game of golf. pic.twitter.com/PQ4MoDu8O9
— Amy Olson (@AmyOlsonGolf) April 24, 2024
One of Olson’s favorite memories on the LPGA was clawing back from 6 over through 13 holes at the 2021 Kia Classic to finish tied for second.
Of course, she realizes that others will remember more painful runner-up finishes, like the 2018 Evian Championship, when she made double on the 72nd hole to lose to Angela Stanford.
Or when she was in contention at the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open in Houston and her father-in-law, Lee Olson, died from a heart attack the night before the final round. Olson finished second that year, too.
“Unfortunately, a couple of the pivotal ones of my career were actually really sad moments,” said Olson. “But I think one of the things I’ve always been most proud of is keeping golf in perspective and realizing that life is bigger than golf. In a lot of ways, some of those bigger moments that people remember me for, I was able to live that out in front of them.”
Olson said while there aren’t regrets in terms of what she could’ve done differently, there are dreams that will go unrealized as this chapter of life ends. She never played on a U.S. Solheim Cup team or won an LPGA event.
“I’ve had to come to terms with that,” said Olson, “I’m just realizing OK, that’s not part of my story, and realizing I have different dreams and bigger dreams, rather than clinging to the same ones that motivated me for a number of years.”
The bigger dreams, she said, are ordinary and small. Being a wife and a mom, being present for the milestones, passing on her perspective and deep faith to Carly.
She’ll have the gift of time.
Here’s a look at Olson’s career in pictures:
